The changing face of Greenmount’s dairying facilities over the past 100 years

One hundred years ago on 8 October 1912, Greenmount enrolled its first intake of 11 students to study agriculture. The course lasted 10 months and they completed their studies on 8 August 1913 - not much talk about summer holidays then! Such have been the changes over the intervening years that if any of these students were to return to the College today, they would recognise precious little of the estate - apart perhaps from the Manor House, the Courtyard and the Walled Garden which date back to the early 1800s. Greenmount has always had a dairy herd although it has changed dramatically since those initial years when 15 Shorthorn cows were hand milked in a byre. By 1920, the herd had expanded slightly to 20 cows and to 28 by 1940 - not significant in today’s terms.  It was really the introduction of electricity which facilitated rapid expansion of dairy herds and by 1948 the College had 60 cows, which were milked in two byres through a Gascoigne plant. In 1958 a 50 cow byre and dairy were built. The byre was without doubt a high spec building with cavity block walls, individual tiled feeding troughs in front of each cow, adjustable tyings, a steel trussed asbestos roof, wide centre passage and an abundance of natural light and ventilation through a raised ridge. It remained a feature of the College farmyard for 53 years until last year when it was demolished to make room for the new dairy unit.

In the 1960s the pace of change and expansion in the dairy industry accelerated. The importation of British Friesians, widespread use of AI, improved nutrition and management practices and the move from hay to silage as the winter fodder, combined with the introduction of cubicle housing and herringbone milking parlours, led to a period of rapid expansion in many Northern Ireland dairy farms.

Data relating to the dairy sector some 50 years ago shows that in 1962 there were 19,000 dairy farmers in Northern Ireland, with over 70% of them selling less than 15 gallons (approx 70 litres) per day.  Total sales of milk that year were 121 million gallons of milk which equates to approximately 30,000 litres per year per producer.  When you compare this with today’s figures of 3,575 producers each selling on average 520,000 litres per annum, the extent of the rationalisation and intensification within the dairy sector becomes evident.  To keep abreast with the latest technology and to be in pole position to train future generations of dairy farmers on using the latest equipment, Greenmount continued to invest in its dairying facilities down through the years.  In 1960 a tandem parlour was built and this was followed by a 4 point herringbone in 1964.  In 1983, the year before milk quotas were introduced, the College constructed a new dairy unit for 100 cows based around an 8 point Fullwood parlour, which was extended and replaced in the 90s.  

In 1995, the 20 cow CREAM herd was set up to provide higher level students with hands on experience of managing one of the highest performing dairy herds in NI.  Top quality pedigree cows were sourced in NI and GB and students were tasked with producing feeding regimes (as part of a TMR), breeding plans and grassland management strategies under the guidance and direction of a management board.  Managing such a herd put students very much in the spotlight and was not without its difficulties in those early years.  However, it was a wonderful learning experience and students came from far and near to gain practical experience of managing dairy cows at the highest level.  The herd has expanded to 30 cows and was relocated in new facilities in 2001, with the old unit being adapted to accommodate the main herd which had grown to 150 cows.  

The current performance of the College dairy herds is as follows:

Now that the dairy unit is nearing its 30th year in operation, plans are well underway to build a state-of-the-art unit for 150 cows which will be operational by April 2013. This unit will incorporate the latest technology relating to computerised herd management and monitoring systems, waste management, handling facilities and energy conservation.

To celebrate the centenary we are holding a series of events at the College, over the next 12 months featuring technical conferences, student reunions and an Open Weekend on 16 and 17 June.  Articles (with a difference) from past students will be printed in the agricultural press and a dedicated section on the website will be available from January 2012 which you will be able to access at your leisure to browse old photos and check out details on specific events which might be of interest to you.  

Greenmount 50 cow byre built in 1958

CREAM parlour